Canada’s Environment Minister Peter Kent, announced proposed regulations to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of passenger automobiles and light trucks for model years 2017 to 2025. The proposed regulations are aligned with the new United States regulations. (Earlier post.)

For model years 2017 to 2025, cars will be required to achieve, on average, 5% annual reductions in GHG emissions. Light trucks will be required to achieve, on average, 3.5% annual GHG emission reductions from model year 2017 to 2021 and 5% reductions from 2022 to 2025. This will give time for companies to find technological solutions that lead to reduced emissions without affecting the utility of their trucks.

While the regulations are aligned, Canada has included greater regulatory incentives for advanced technology vehicles such as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids for model years 2011 to 2016; both countries are now following suit for model years 2017 to 2021, Environment Canada pointed out.

These new regulations improve fuel efficiency so that by 2025 new cars will consume 50% less fuel and emit 50% less GHGs than a similar 2008 model, leading to significant savings at the pump.

—Minister Kent

Environment Canada expects these regulations will reduce GHGs by 162 megatonnes between 2017 and 2025.